User:Tetfestmusicmanager

Tetbury Music Festival was founded in 2003 by Director of Music Graham Kean and pianist Elise Smith and brings to Tetbury the finest musicians you are likely to hear outside of the great concert halls of the world. Most of the concerts take place in the beautiful parish church of Tetbury, St Marys' Church. An early and fine example of Georgian Gothic architecture, the church has a fine acoustic to match which attracts both musicians and audience. Jazz is offered at The Tetbury Goods Shed arts centre.

The Festival takes place every year in early Autumn when the nights are drawing in and the church is lit by candlelight. The concerts offered at each Festival have ranged from early to classical to contemporary music, with the more recent addition of a series of lectures and interviews to share insight, understanding, and new ways of appreciating the context in which these great works were written. Whatever the style or period of music, the concerts show an outstanding level of musicianship. The 2019 Festival Diary:

SATURDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 7.30 pm Derek Paravicini Quartet with Hannah Davey THE GOODS SHED THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER 7.30 pm Tom Poster Piano Guy Johnston Cello Magnus Johnston Violin Haydn, Schumann and Schubert ST MARYS’ CHURCH FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER 7.30 pm VOCES8 a cappella repertoire from the Renaissance to today ST MARYS’ CHURCH SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER 3pm Dame Felicity Lott An Afternoon Recital NEWNTON HOUSE 6.30pm Pavel Kolesnikov Piano Chopin, Schumann, Bartok, Debussy, Beethoven ST MARYS’ CHURCH SUNDAY 6 OCTOBER 10.30am Festival Service 5pm Arcangelo, conducted by Jonathan Cohen The Brockes Passion ST MARYS’ CHURCH

The first Artistic Director was Steven Isserlis, who has performed at the Festival on several occasions. The Festival also champions new ensembles and performers such as The Trio Apaches and the pianists Jonathan Biss and Joseph Middleton. The current Artistic Director is acclaimed conductor and 'cellist, Jonathan Cohen.

​The Festival's symbols are the spire of St Marys' and a pair of Dolphins. Why Dolphins? The story goes that Sir William Grose, the once owner of Tetbury, was sailing back across the Irish Sea when his ship was holed by rocks in a terrible storm. But two dolphins, seeing his plight, lodged themselves in the holes to block the incoming seas and the ship, and its cargo of men and goods, made it safely back to harbour. The Festival's supporters are known as Dolphins.